Wednesday 16 July 2014

The Travel the World in Books reading challenge

For a while now I've fancied the idea of a challenge where I could read books from every country in Africa, but not having seen anyone offering such a challenge I've not done it. (I don't think I could run a reading challenge myself.) Then I spotted the Travel the World in Books challenge where you can devise your own journey and basically do what you want! So I'm going to dive in and see if I can do it.


The challenge is being hosted by three bloggers: Mom's Small Victories, I'm Lost in Books and Savvy Working Gal.

The Goal:

Travel the world in books, of course! Expand your horizons and read books set in or written by authors from countries other than the one you live in. Visit as many different countries in books as you wish.

The Rules:

And the “rules” are simply this…YOU choose your own adventure! These are your goals but you can change them any time.

1. Determine length of time you will participate in the challenge. Just one month, An entire season, a year or 5 years?

2. Determine how many countries you would like to read about during your adventure. What criteria are you using to determine the number of countries you read about (ex. book setting, author background or both)?

3. How will you track the countries you visited in books? You could create a map in Google Maps, track on your blog or on a Goodreads shelf.

4. Determine your book list or genre if you like. Will you be listing specific books you would like to read? Do you aim to read fiction, nonfiction or a mixture of both?

5. Link up your posts. Linkies will be available for sign up/goals, wrap up, and a linky for each continent for you to add your book reviews whenever you are ready.

6. Please follow each of our 3 hosts by at least one social media or bloglovin, RSS, GFC so you can keep informed of news, updates and events regarding this challenge. We have a Travel the World in 80 Books Readathon in the works for September!

~~~oOo~~~

Ok, so I think I'll try and do this in a year. That might be pushing it but we'll see how it goes. I assume I can always sign up for another year if I don't make it.

How many countries? Well, opinions seem to be divided as to whether there are 54, 55 or 56 countries on the African continent. I'll deal with that at some other time but this is the map I plan to work off:


I'll keep track of them via this map and by listing the books read here as well. I'll also open a Goodreads shelf.

I won't be listing specific books as this is an ongoing adventure. And I'll be reading a mixture of fiction and non-fiction (a lot of travel books I suspect).

I'm happy to do the Linky thing and also follow the hosts' blogs etc.

So that's it. I'm very excited about this one and suspect it's going to be a lot of fun as well as educational and informative.

~~~oOo~~~

8 comments:

BooksPlease said...

I'll have to think about this. At this time of year my enthusiasm for challenges begins to flag a little, but this doesn't sound too threatening. But I definitely won't be reading books from every country in Africa!!

Good luck!

Judith said...

Cath,
This challenge is wonderful, and I love the fact it can be individually tailored to suit one's international predilections! I'm sighing deeply because I have so many books I'm already desperate to read this summer. But I will look up this challenge to see if I can do it or squeak it.
I'm finally adding your blog to my blogroll. I've wanted to for some time now.
Thanks so much for a wonderfully stimulating blog!
Judith (Reader in the Wilderness)

TracyK said...

Cath, This sounds like a wonderful challenge. I will have to think about it. I will be interested to see what books you find for African countries. I have noticed I am particularly lacking in knowledge about that area.

Penny O'Neill said...

This should be an fun challenge for you, Cath. I love to read what your up to and all the challenges you take. Onward - and looking forward to where it takes you.

Tanya @ Moms Small Victories said...

So glad to have you join us Cath! I love that you are focusing on just Africa. That will be quite a challenge in itself but I look forward to seeing what you read and link up with us!

Cath said...

Margaret: I've probably bitten off more than I can chew but nothing ventured etc. The reason I started this new one is that I've done so well with my other challenges that I've almost read all of the required number of books, apart from the Mount TBR which is still ongoing. I thought it would be nice to start a new one that straddles this year and next.

Judith: I like the fact that you can tailor the challenge to your predilections as well. Other places really appeal too... Scandinavia, Oceania, Eastern Europe and so on. Lots of scope here.

Thanks for adding me to your blogroll!

Tracy: I think the challenging thing might to find books for the more obscure countries.

Penny: Yes, I think it will be a challenge. I'm hoping to learn a lot about some very obscure places.

Tanya. Hello! Yes, I think it will be quite a challenge. I'll read as much as I can this year and then in January 2015 see where I am and then really focus for the last 6 months to try and complete it. Well, that's the plan... LOL. At the moment I'm having a lot of fun investigating appropriate books.

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EmilyD1037 said...
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